Edward VI , 1537-1553 , King of England

The nunnery of Saint Helen was founded in the early part of the thirteenth century by William son of William the goldsmith, in the place where a church of Saint Helen had already existed in the reign of Henry II. Edward I gave to the priory in 1285 a piece of the True Cross which he had brought from Wales, and went on foot accompanied by earls, barons, and bishops to present the relic. The nuns about this time seem to have been in need of financial help. They petitioned the king to examine their charters and allow them to hold in frankalmoign henceforth, and it was no doubt in consequence of the inquiry he had ordered that he gave them the right to hold a market and fair at Brentford.

The manor of Boston had a common boundary with the township of New Brentford. The manor is recorded in 1157 as belonging to the abbot of Westminster. By 1179 the vill had been subinfeudated to Ralph Brito, whose son Robert had granted it by 1194 to Geoffrey Blund. After 1216 he granted a quitrent from it to his son-inlaw Henry, son of Rainier, who later held Boston. By 1294 it was held by the prioress of Saint Helen's, Bishopsgate, as tenant of Westminster, which claimed Boston as part of its liberty.

From: A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 7: Acton, Chiswick, Ealing and Brentford, West Twyford, Willesden (1982), pp. 123-128 and A History of the County of London: Volume 1: London within the Bars, Westminster and Southwark (1909), pp. 457-461 (both available online).